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Thursday, 4 April 2013

Cornish Coast Weekend part two

A very cold night, but pretty snug in my sleeping bag, and a very good night's sleep. Plan for today was to walk out of the camp site and do a circular. Henny and Mike joined Jim and I for a respectable ten and a bit miles.

After a bit of trouble finding the bridleway to the coast, we were on our way down to the Botallack Tin Mines, and up to Kenidjack Castle where we could see Cape Cornwall.

The route to the cape involved a small diversion because of floods, but it afforded us a meeting with the locals.

Cape Cornwall was very exposed and little time was spent at the top. Thankfully, the rocky path down was spared the worst of the winds, and was easily managed.

Leaving the Watch Station and the cape behind, we ascended up to a trig point at 94 metres, and then descended inland to Carallack.

There was a simpler way to the village of St. Just, but I was curious to see what the local YHA looked like and so the route crossed the river three times before we were finally heading in the right direction. As for the Youth Hostel; it looked disappointing, and I much preferred the house we passed on one of our traverses of the river.

One final look at the sea, before we walked into St. Just for a cuppa.

After our break in the village, I had picked out a route that passed near a stone circle; I'm a sucker for little gems like this so I could hardly ignore it. I was a bit annoyed that a "Chambered Cairn" was clearly marked on the Ordnance Survey map, but it was on private property, though!

Stone circle ticked off, it was onward to Carn Kenidjack. It took a bit longer than anticipated. The path seemed to spend an age circling it, before turning in through the heather.

From the Carn, we passed a radio mast and then down towards the coast again. We were close to the campsite, but lengthened the route with a diversion to The Count House and a proper look at the Botallack Tin Mine.

We missed our footpath inland and I was all set to lengthen the day, but the others wanted to turn back and find the turning, so we did just that.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Paul Buck is a backpacker and Social Hiker, who loves to walk for fun and for good causes. Currently visiting all the tors of Dartmoor, accounts of that challenge can be found at moorlandwalks.co.uk. Adventures further afield are right here.